What’s Cooking—Handing Down the Recipe

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

February 8, 2004

 

WHAT’S COOKING IN CORINTH

We’ve been reading Paul’s instructions to Christians in Corinth > recipe for cooking up strong church

To help us apply his instructions to our lives > we’ve imagined we were cooks in the kitchen

While we heard Paul identify the spiritual gifts they needed (first part of Chapter 12)

                        Apostles > prophets > teachers > strong workers > healers > helpers > organizers

                                    We checked to make certain we had every ingredient we need

            When we heard him reinforce the importance of each spiritual gift (second part of Chapter 12)

                        The Church is a complete “body” with many parts > each one equally important

                                    We carefully measured right amount we needed in our kitchen

            And as we heard him teach them the best way to use their gifts (Chapter 13)

                        With faith > with hope > with love > and most important is love

                                    We bound our ingredients together with liquid

Paul could have ended his ‘recipe’ right there > with those directions for making a great church

            But he didn’t > today hear him tell that what was told to him

We won’t stop, either; we won’t stop imagining we’re cooks in kitchen > we’ll hand down our recipe

            So hold on to your apron while we read a few more verses > then apply them to our lives

The lectionary skips Chapter 14 and picks up again at the beginning of Chapter 15

            By now > Paul has turned to whole different subject > a subject even more important than gifts 

“HANDING DOWN THE RECIPE”

Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

For Paul > it was incredibly important to pass on what he had been given

            Like handing down his grandmother’s recipe for lamb stew

Why could this be so crucial for the Corinthian church?  Two reasons: disbelief and distraction

            Disbelief: some didn’t believe Jesus was Messiah > so weren’t interested in telling anyone

                        but Paul had proof > Jesus had actually appeared to him

                        and that appearance reinforced what was written in the scriptures

            Distraction: Those Corinthians had become so preoccupied with their own importance

                        that they forgot what was most important > death/resurrection of Christ

                        Their main thing was not “to keep the main thing the main thing” > they lost their focus

These two issues were at the bottom of all their troubles

Some didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah >

and they allowed other issues to grab their attention

It’s no wonder Paul didn’t appreciate what was happening  

MELISSA’S “RECIPE”

I ran across a story * last week about someone Paul would have appreciated

            She handed down what she had been given

Her name was Melissa > got summer job working as maid in hotel

            Pretty luxurious > oceanside resort > Her job was to clean ten rooms every day

            Over the summer she met many interesting people > including some celebrities

            Of all the people she met, however, one she would always remember

                        She called him “Mr. Smith”

Mr. Smith showed up one weekend with only an overnight bag

            When Melissa went to clean his room, he stuck his head out the door:

                        “Forget about cleaning my room.  Just give me a couple of clean towels.”

            Next two days were exactly the same. 

            Wasn’t until mid-week that Mr. Smith allowed her to clean the room

            As she did, he talked with her, and even helped make the bed

Following Saturday she cleaned the usual ten rooms and then left the hotel to go to church

            [hers was a church that had Saturday evening services]

            as she was walking > car pulled up next to her > it was Mr. Smith > “Can I give you a ride?”

            she told him she was going to church > and would welcome a ride > so she got in

                        he was full of questions

                                    how often did she go to church?

                                    why did she go when so many found something else “more important”?

                                    what were the people like?

                        Her reply was “Come with me and see for yourself.”

When they arrived he said, “If you’re serious about the invitation, I’d like to go with you.”

            She was beginning to feel a little wary of this stranger and all his questions

            But her fears eased as they sat down and he bowed his head in prayer

            He paid close attention all through the service

But as soon as the minister pronounced the benediction > he shot out of there like a bullet

            He didn’t even say “Thank you” or “Good-by” or “See you later” or anything

The next morning when she went to clean his room > he was gone

            On the dresser was a small box with a note attached

            Dear Melissa.

The gift inside the box is for the beautiful thing you’ve done for me without even knowing it.  My marriage has been rather shaky lately—so much so that I finally told my wife that I was moving out for a few days to think things over.  The more I thought the more confused I got.  Then you came along.  You invited me to “come and see.”  Your strong faith in God touched me deeply.  When I attended church with you, it was for the first time in ten years.  During that service, God gave me an insight into my problems and the desire to stay with my wife.  So I’m going home, grateful to God and grateful to you for being a shining light in a time when my world was very dark.  I will never forget the way you helped me rediscover my faith.”  And it was signed Dennis Smith

Inside the box was a gold chain with a beautiful gold cross attached to it.  

Don’t you think Paul would have appreciated her?  She passed on what she had been given

And what a difference she made  

OUR “RECIPE”

We all are here because of someone like Paul or someone like Melissa

People who shared their faith with us

            People who “handed their recipe down” to us

For the Church to remain strong > we must follow their example

            We know what we must do > somewhere deep inside us we know

But we don’t always do it

                        What keeps us from handing down what we have received?

                                    We have the same problems the Corinthians had!

                                                Disbelief > not believing Jesus can make a difference in our lives

                                                Distraction > allowing ourselves to lose our focus

That, and sometimes we feel apprehensive because we think we don’t know how to do it     Melissa’s story shows us how easy it is > just live your lives following Jesus’ example

                        God will show you someone > someone you can invite to church with you

                        Someone who needs the most important recipe you ever had

                        And then YOU can hand it down

            * From Sower’s Seed Aplenty by Brian Cavanaugh, Paulist Press, 1996, p. 20